Cruz was watching last Sunday as his former team lost to the Chargers 27-22 and, incredibly, four receivers went down with injuries. Three of them — Odell Beckham Jr., Brandon Marshall and Dwayne Harris — were lost for the season. Another receiver, Sterling Shepard, sprained his ankle and will miss at least this Sunday night’s game in Denver.

As he watched the injuries pile up, Cruz knew these were serious.

Marshall hurt his ankle so severely that he needed stabilization surgery.

“I saw him make a great one-handed grab but I saw him buckle on one of the steps he took going out of bounds,’’ Cruz said. “He’s carted off, and I’m like ‘The cart is never good.’ Whenever you see that guy in that trolley coming out, it’s never good.’’

Cruz said he knew Beckham was in trouble when he went up for a pass and did not get back up. He sustained a fractured ankle.

“Odell goes up for a pass, doesn’t catch it, the defender doesn’t know that, goes to pull him down, fell awkwardly, landed under his leg and broke his fibula,’’ Cruz said. “I knew immediately, because I saw the way he fell and I saw the type of pain he was in, when they showed his face I said, ‘That’s not good.’ And he was holding the leg, he wanted no one else to touch that leg.’’

Odell Beckham after Sunday’s injury.APVictor Cruz with the Bears this preseason.Getty Images

Cruz suffered a horrific knee injury on Oct. 12, 2014, at Philadelphia, when he ruptured his patella tendon. He knows what Beckham went through as he was down on the field, collecting his thoughts.

“You’re like, ‘I’m done for the year,’ that’s the first thing you think about,’’ Cruz said. “You think about this as you’re laying on the ground. First thing first, you’re thinking, ‘My season’s done.’ Secondly, ‘I’m gonna have to have surgery, what is that gonna look like. I’ve never had this type of surgery before. What’s the rehab? How long will I be out?’ ’’

Cruz said his agent spoke with the Giants after that game, inquiring about a possible return.

“They told him they were going to assess their injuries and see exactly where they are and get back to him,’’ Cruz said.

Since he was released by the Giants, Cruz was signed by the Bears but did not make it through the final round of cuts. The Giants, after losing four receivers, decided to sign one of their former players, Tavarres King, and promote Travis Rudolph and Ed Eagan from the practice squad.

Asked about Cruz on Monday, Ben McAdoo said, “To my knowledge, he is not an option, but never say never.’’

That cannot stop Cruz from dreaming.

“Can I paint a picture for you?’’ Cruz said. “Can you imagine, if I get a phone call from the New York Giants and I go back out there wearing the number 80 in blue and I get in that end zone one more time? Do you understand? I can already hear the deafening screams from the crowd. Already, I can hear it.’’